Ademola Adeleke has secured another four-year term as Osun State governor, retaining his place at Bola Ige House after a hard-fought election.
Adeleke, running on the Accord Party platform, triumphed over his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to win the South-West state’s gubernatorial contest.
Announcing the results at the INEC Collation Centre in Osogbo early Sunday, Returning Officer Joshua Ogunwole declared Adeleke the winner with 511,067 votes.
Oyebamiji finished second with 444,815 votes, while Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came a distant third with 17,180 votes. Ogunwole stated, Adeleke Ademola Jackson of the Accord Party, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.
A total of 1,010,684 voters were accredited for the poll, with 1,005,800 votes cast and 985,079 deemed valid. Adeleke’s win is especially notable as he contested under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which had brought him to power in his first term.
Explaining his defection, Adeleke cited the Accord Party’s focus on welfare, saying, The primary essence of a government is the welfare and well-being of the people.
The election capped months of tension and intrigue in Osun, as 15 political parties vied for the governorship. The campaign period was marked by mutual accusations between the ruling party and the APC, with both sides blaming each other for violence and property destruction. Security was ramped up, with police deploying 15,000 personnel, 30 commissioners of police, aerial surveillance units, and a police helicopter.
President Bola Tinubu personally directed Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu and other security chiefs to ensure peaceful voting, emphasizing the need for a transparent and fair process.
The run-up to the election was further complicated when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze a state government account just days before the poll, sparking public concern. President Tinubu intervened and ordered the account unfrozen, calling the timing of the EFCC’s action “embarrassing.”
An eleventh-hour court order also mandated the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the ballot, forcing INEC to quickly print new materials and adapt its logistics. INEC’s National Commissioner for Osun, Kunle Ajayi, recounted the scramble to reprint millions of ballots within 36 hours to meet the court’s demands.
Following Adeleke’s victory, jubilation broke out across Osun State, especially in Osogbo and his hometown of Ede, as supporters celebrated with singing, dancing, and chanting in the streets. The celebrations began as results trickled in, confirming Adeleke’s strong support throughout the state.
